'self-mortification', is one of the two extremes to be avoided, the other extreme being addiction to sensual pleasures (kāma-sukha), whilst the Noble 8-fold Path constitutes the Middle Path (majjhima-patipadā, q.v.).

See the Buddha's first sermon, "The Establishment of the Realm of Dhamma" (Dhamma-cakkappavattana-Sutta).